NIH Study: Health Care Professionals Find Value in Behavior Imaging Technology

As health care professionals look to save time and money and improve their patients’ access to specialists, no matter where they live, they will look more and more to telehealth solutions like Behavior Technology for clinical treatment and training for behavioral disorders.

Boise, ID, August 23, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Health care professionals favor the use of Behavior Imaging technology for the treatment and diagnosis of behavior disorders like autism and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to a recent National Institutes of Health (NIH) study.

“The most significant challenge with new technology is typically getting buy-in from those who will benefit from it,” noted lead researcher Dr. Uwe Reischl, of the Boise State University Center for Health Sciences. “In this case, Behavior Imaging has proven to be remarkably appealing to the professionals we surveyed.” Reischl’s research reports that 69% of participants in the study rated their use of the technology as “favorable,” while 26% were “unsure” and 5% “opposed.”

Like a wireless, remote-activated “TiVo”, B.I. technology goes back in time to capture antecedents of behavioral incidents on digital video, resulting in improved data collection and analysis. A diverse team of professionals can store, annotate, and share video of patients, while utilizing a powerful tool in diagnosing and treating patients. B.I. Technology which is classified as a telehealth solution—technology that delivers health related services remotely—is used by health care and education professionals for a variety of applications, including training, supervision, behavior analysis, and assessment, all of which can be done remotely.

The study focused on assessing the attitudes of special-needs health care professionals with respect to Internet data sharing, health insurance reimbursement, the benefits and obstacles of adopting B.I. technology, as well as the most relevant uses for the technology. The 62 professionals participating in the study were affiliated with institutions such as Children’s Hospital Boston, Yale University, and New York University School of Medicine, as well as individual practitioners of behavior analysis and regional disability care training programs.

Participants found B.I. Technology to be “favorable” in the following areas: reaching more clients (56%), reducing behavior data errors (56%), saving time/money (46%), and cutting travel costs (39%). The most popular applications of B.I. Technology include training (86%), behavior analysis (81%), staff supervision (67%), remote consultation (62%), and diagnostic assessment (50%).

Dr. Reischl pointed out, “The recognition of value by payers is another critical factor in the adoption of new healthcare technology.” Nearly 59% of study respondents supported insurance or Medicaid reimbursement for remote Behavior Imaging consultations, while 36% were unsure and 4% would not.

Ron Oberleitner, CEO of Caring Technologies, Inc. (the makers of Behavior Imaging), is encouraged by the growing acceptance of this technology. “As health care professionals look to save time and money and improve their patients’ access to specialists, no matter where they live, they will look more and more to telehealth solutions like Behavior Technology for clinical treatment and training for behavioral disorders,” noted Oberleitner.

Caring Technologies, Inc. (Boise, ID) is a telehealth company dedicated to the development of Behavior Imaging technology as a means of more effectively conducting behavioral health assessments, treatment, and research by helping professionals assist people with autism, PTSD, and other behavioral disorders through video technology. For more information about Caring Technologies, visit www.caringtechnologies.com.

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